The 2009 World Food Prize Laureate Gebisa Ejeta presents a lecture on global food security, Clinton School of Public Service, noon, free. If you dig sublime psychedelic garage rock with virtuosic guitar playing, then get on over to see The Many Persian Z's at Maxine's, with sultry pop duo Landrest, 8 p.m., free. Funnywoman Kristin Key brings the chuckles, chortles, giggles, etc. at The Loony Bin, 8 p.m., $7. She'll be there through Saturday night.

FRIDAY 1/27

The Ghost Town Blues Band brings a crunchy blend of electric blues styles — all with a funky flair — to Midtown Billiards, 12:30 a.m., $5. If tasteful, jazzy lounge tunes with a powerful lady singer are what's in order, then The Smittle Band is just the ticket, Dugan's pub, 9 p.m., free. Those punkabilly hellraisers Josh the Devil & The Sinners get rowdy at Flying DD, with pop weirdoes Frown Pow'r, 9 p.m., $5. Tireless country troubadour Ryan Couron plays Denton's Trotline, 9 p.m. Hans Klemm, former U.S. ambassador to East Timor, presents a lecture titled "Challenges in Securing the Rule of Law in Afghanistan," Clinton School of Public Service, noon, free. Vino's hosts Foreign Tongues Poetry Group, featuring Chris James, APOLLO, Osyrus, Ron MC and Tru Poet, 8 p.m. Monster Jam kicks off at Verizon Arena, with Bounty Hunter, Bad News and Barbarian doing all the jumping, crushing and smashing you've come to love, 7:30 p.m., $7-$37. Monster Jam continues at the same time Saturday.